The Reason Behind the Hate
by The Writing Therapist
Summary: Companion to Three little Words. Captain Teague is attempting to be a father to Jack, but Jack doesn't want anything to do with him and the fact that he hates pirates isn't helping. R
1. Last and First Meetings

First time writing a story here, comments and suggestions welcome.

Captain Teague looks up and sees his only child, thirteen year old Jack, standing at the end of the dock. Jack's hands are shaking, most likely due to barely restrained rage. Teague sighs inwardly; he already knows that Jack hates him, even though it has never been said aloud. Teague looks at his bandaged left hand, where Jack had stabbed him a few days before, he then looks up at Jack, noting the bandage wrapping his forehead, "What do you want?"

"…I hate you…" Jack said softly.

Teague heard him but pretended to play dumb, "What was that? I thought I heard a mouse squeaking."

Jack's hands were now curled into fists and were shaking even worse; he took in a deep breath before screaming out, "I HATE YOU!"

Teague remained silent this time as he watches Jack run off and disappear into the crowd. He sighs deeply before saying to himself, "And I don't blame you."

**Several years earlier**  
Teague had stopped in India, a dangerous feat since he is Pirate Lord of Madagascar and therefore a highly wanted man…wanted in the 'dead or alive but preferably dead' sort of way. The reason he was here, was more overpowering of his fear of being captured, he was here to see his only son, who he'd last seen was the day he was born. "Well, technically my son was born at night during the middle of a typhoon…but those are minor details," Teague thought while making discrete inquiries as to where his son and his mother were. Teague was half surprised and half not to discover that the two lived in a small shack in the woods, he walked up to the door and raised his hand to knock when he paused, hearing the voices of a child and a woman laughing within. He takes a deep breath before knocking on the door. The laughter stops momentarily as footsteps walked towards the door and opened it. Teague came face-to-face with Neela, a beautiful Indian woman with brown hair that was tied back loosely and had grey colored eyes, which were wide with surprise before narrowing to glare at Teague.

"Been a while, hasn't it Nee?" Teague said.

Neela stared at him for a moment before slapping him so hard he fell over.

"…I probably deserved that," Teague groaned.

"What in the world are you doin' here?" Neela asked as Teague slowly got up.

Teague answered while rubbing the spot where Neela had slapped him, "Wanted to visit me son and me bonny la-"

"Don't you be callin' me your 'bonny lass' Jameson Grant Teague," Neela threatened, emphasizing her point by poking him in the chest with each word of his name.

Teague winced at the way his full name had been said with such malice and before he could say anything, a small voice spoke up. "Mum, who's he?"

Teague looked down and saw a miniature version of him staring back, granted there were several differences like the nose and cheeks and chin…okay the only similarity were in the eye and hair color. "Hey there lad, you got a name?"

"Jack," he replied, his eyes narrowing, "I know your name, but who exactly are you?"

"Jack, I'm your father," Teague simply said.

Jack was quiet for a moment before saying, "You look a bum and an idiot."


	2. Multi Language Insults

Thanks to the people who've read and reviewed this.

* * *

Teague stood there, shocked, before he regained his senses, "Don't be insultin' to your elders boy." 

"Then don't show up to places dressed like a two-bit criminal," Jack said in the condescending tone.

"Jack, go finish your schoolwork, while the two of us have a bit of a talk," Neela butted in.

"Yes mum," Jack replied, retreating inside.

"Schoolwork?" Teague asked confused.

"Work he gets from school obviously," Neela answered, "just leave Teague, we don't need you around."

"Could you at least give me a chance to be a father to-"

"A father is there for his son growing up; you left us when Jack was barely a month old! I had to raise Jack, earn money to put food on our table, make sure he gets some semblance of a schooling, and keep this roof over our heads on my own!" Neela yelled, pinning Teague with a fierce glare.

"I'll make it up to both of you Nee, promise," Teague said as honestly as he could, which wasn't very honest in Neela's eyes.

"Your promises are worthless Teague, now _leave_," Neela said before closing the door so fast, Teague barely avoided being hit in the face. "That could have gone a lot better," Teague thought to himself as he made his way back to his ship to think of a different strategy for dealing with this.

* * *

"Mum," Jack said, looking up from his work as he mother sat next to him, "if that man is my father…why hasn't he shown up until now?"

Neela sighed, "Because your father is the Pirate Lord of Madagascar and a wanted man."

"…'Pirate Lord'? Wouldn't that be an oxymoron?" Jack asked before noting the confused look on his mother's face, "An oxymoron is a figure of speech using two contradicting terms."

Neela smiled and ruffled Jack's hair, "I think you might be right about that; did learn that word at school?"

Jack nodded his head, "Sí, mi madre."

"Spanish: Yes my mother, you're picking up on other languages very fast," Neela beamed, "Say something else."

"Mon père est stupide," Jack said before translating, "French for: My father is stupid."

Neela laughed, "How many languages can you call him stupid in?"

"Including English, four," Jack smiled, "In Spanish it would be: Mi padre es estúpido, and in Italian it would be: Mio padre è stupido."

Neela smiled down at her son, and looked deep into his brown eyes; a haunting memory of his father kicked in, but she suppressed it. Jack looked up at his mother expectantly, hoping for some kind of praise, she giggled before saying "You're going to make a fine young man someday Jack Sparrow, you really will"

Jack smirked before asking sarcastically, "Better than me dad?"

"Easily," Neela answered with a smirk of her own.


	3. Drunken Thoughts & Best Mates

Again, thanks to those who have been reading this.

Teague sat in his cabin of his ship, the Prowler, drinking copious of rum while attempting to think up of ways to get back into Neela and Jack's good books, but trying to think and being drunk at the same time mix about as well as vinegar and water. "Gifts mebbe? Would dey be brought over wit shiny lil' 'rinkets?" Teague drunkenly asked himself. He lifted his head when he heard a knock at the door, "Wot? Wot do ya want?" 

"Captain, the crew are wondering what exactly we're here for," a voice said from the other side of the door. Teague recognized it as the voice of his first mate.

"Thought dey knew, 'm here meetin' me son an' bonny lass…though she tol' me not ta call her that," Teague got up, wobbled slightly for a moment before promptly falling over, "S'okay! 'm just drank…drunk I means!"

"…captain, the lookout thought he spotted Navy ships…"

"Why didn' you bloody say so?!" Teague shouted getting up, his drunkenness quickly disappearing, "Weigh anchor an' get us outta here!"

"Aye sir!"

* * *

"Oy, Jack!" 

Jack turned around one of two his best mates, Bill Turner, running up to him, "What's the rush Bill?"

"Didn't ya hear? The Navy nearly caught some pirates a lil' while ago," Bill said, as he caught his breath.

_"Of course I heard, I'm the one that called the Navy on them,"_ Jack thought before asking aloud, "What do ya mean, nearly caught?"

"They escaped; I heard the Navy just missed them," Bill explained, "Hope they have better luck the next time."

"The pirates or the Navy?" Jack joked.

"The Navy o'course!" Bill exclaimed, "Why would I wish a pirate would have better luck?!"

"Only kidding with ya Bill," Jack said calmly, "Hurry up or we'll be late for school, I don't wanna stand outside the room with a bucket on ma head again."

"Me neither…race ya!" Bill said before running off, forcing Jack to follow quickly to catch up. The two of them barely got to school on time and quickly getting into their seats.

"Will the two of you at least try to get to school on time without having to run most of the way?" a voice asked.

Jack turned and saw his other best mate, Cutler Beckett, smirking at him, "Where's the fun in that, Beck?"

Beckett frowned, "I've told you countless times not to call me that, you may call me either Cutler or Beckett."

"Both your first and last names are odd, it's easier to just call you 'Beck'," Bill reasoned.

"Just because it's easier to call me that, it doesn't mean I like it," Beckett scowled. Before the conversation, or argument if you look at it that way, could escalate, the teacher called for the classes' attention for the lesson to start.


	4. 2nd Meetings and Musings

Mahalo to those who are still reading. (Mahalo is Hawaiian for thank you)

* * *

It was several months later before Teague showed his face again, coming upon Jack who was coming home from school, "Jack, did ya miss me?" 

"Not a bit," Jack responded, "Why in the world are you back here, you _tonto borracho_?" (1)

"One, I have no idea wot you jus' called me; an' two, I came ter visit you an' yer mum," Teague explained before holding up a satchel, "Brought gifts too."

Jack eyed the bag wearily, "Did you steal that?"

"Wot makes you think that?" Teague asked.

"…maybe because you're a pirate," Jack replied sarcastically, walking pass Teague and heading home.

"Pirate Lord, to be exact, Jacky," Teague corrected.

Jack whirled around, "Don't call me 'Jacky', you poor excuse for a person…you're barely even that. A lord is a very noble person while a pirate is a thief and a murderer, among other things. Saying you're both is a complete contradiction!"

"Being a pirate can be noble!" Teague argued.

Jack scoffed, "A noble pirate, an oxymoron if I ever heard one! What is noble about being a pirate? They steal from honest people; kill said people, along with a myriad of other despicable and horrible acts!" Teague attempted to respond to that when he realized that Jack was right; he himself had stolen and killed countless times, the first one occurring more than the second. Jack smirked at Teague's silence. He turned around and walked off, saying over his shoulder, "You're silence says everything."

* * *

Neela noticed Jack's mood the moment he walked through the door, "Bad day at school?""A bad day at school would have been a lot better than runnin' into the drunken idiot," Jack snapped, tossing his bag into a corner, "I practically bit his head off." 

"…Teague is back?"

"Unfortunately, yes…he's attempting to buy us over with something; I'm not sure if he bought it himself or stole it," Jack sighed, "Why can't he get it into his thick head, that we don't want him around?!"

"He has always been a stubborn person, Jack," Neela said with a small smile.

Jack glared at his mother, "But why does he have to be so, so…bloody stubborn!? Why can't he leave us alone! I don't want him around, you don't want him around so why can't he just bugger off?!" he snapped.

Neela looked at him in shock, ""Jack Cadan Sparrow! Watch your language, especially under my roof. You know it's rude! Next time I'll give you a whippin'!" she warned.

Jack winced before sitting in a chair, "I'm sorry mum... I'm just so stressed out. This wouldn't have happened if my so called 'father' hadn't popped up out of nowhere after...God only knows for how long he's been away," he said, placing his head in his hands.

Neela walked over and planted herself next to him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. She smirked slightly, "You know you may not like the sound of this but...there are a few traits that your father passed onto you," she started.

Jack glanced up from where he resting his head on her shoulder, cringing at the thought, "What might that be?"

Neela looks at him and smiles, "You have your father's humor and stubbornness," She paused, and felt a little put off at that. Jack gives her a blank look, before deliberately hitting his head on her chest. She yelps, "Jack that was my breast you hit."

Jack groans and lifts his head off, giving the expression of tiredness, "Why did I have to be the son of pirate?"

His mother looked at him, "I can't tell you the answer to that, you have to figure that out for yourself. But remember this, Jack: there is always a purpose for someone, the purpose for their existence may come at any point in their life, but they will find it."

"When will that time be, for me?" Jack asked, hope glimmering in his eyes.

"Like I said, when the time is right, the answer to that question will come to you. It may be tonight, or tomorrow, but whenever that time is, you'll know it. You'll just know it," Neela said with a soft smile.

Jack just sat there in deep thought, _'Is she trying to tell me I was born to sail on the ocean? Is she telling me…that my sole purpose is to become…a pirate?'_

Neela noticed the confused look on Jack's face and hugged him tightly before planting a kiss on his forehead, "Don't worry about it now Jack. For the time being, be yourself…be a kid and play, have fun."

The corners of Jack's mouth turned up slightly, "Can I go off an' see Bill an' Beck then?"

"Did you finish your homework?" Neela asked, to which Jack nodded his head eagerly, "Then yes." Jack grinned before giving her a quick hug and running out the door.

Neela smiled to herself before heading into the kitchen to get dinner ready.

* * *

(1) _tonto borracho _is Spanish for Drunk Fool 


	5. Homemade Fireworks & New Friends

Decided to post this because of it's my 17th birthday, happy readings.

* * *

"Jack…are you sure this is safe?" Bill asked looking over the pile of small bags filled with flour.

"…not really," Jack smirked as he lit one of the bags in the middle of the clearing and pulled Bill several feet away from it.

"Tell me again; what in the world are ya doin'?" Bill asked staring at the burning bag ominously.

"Tryin' to make fireworks for Beck's birthday, read about 'em in a book about Chinese culture. They were apparently used to frighten away evil spirits with their loud sound and also to pray for happiness and prosperity," Jack explained before adding, "The original recipe calls for gunpowder but we can't get that too easily so flour is the next best thing."

"How is flour the same as gun-" Bill was cut off as the small bag of flour proceeded to explode, "…never mind."

"…that's not how a firework is supposed to go off, it's should shoot up into the sky an' then explode," Jack grumbled, "Maybe I need more flour? Or should I try an' get some gunpowder to mix in?"

"…you figure tha' on your own Jack, I don't wanna git blown up," Bill said before running off.

"Coward!" Jack yelled at him before turning around to figure out how to make a firework the right way.

* * *

About and hour later, Jack had finally figured out that he needed to put the flour in a container and point it skywards to get a vaguely desired effect. He frowned as his latest attempt barely reached the top of the trees before falling back to the ground and exploding, "Maybe I do need to get the gunpowder to give it a bigger boost…" 

"Wot in the world would you need gunpowder fer?" a voice asked.

Jack turned around and saw a boy at least eight or nine years older than him, "Who in the blazes are you?"

"Name's Hector Barbossa an' I noticed tha' odd lil' show of yers, wot are ya tryin' ta do?" the boy, teen to be exact, responded.

"…I'm tryin' to make fireworks, but I need gunpowder to get 'em right," Jack explained.

"Why are ya makin' them?"

"For a friend…why are ya askin' so many questions?"

Hector shrugged, "Curious, that's all."

"Well you're 'curiousness' is not 'elping me make fireworks!" Jack said, turning back to what he was attempting to do. Each following try kept on going wrong, "Dang it!"

He turned to find Hector still standing there, with a smug look on his face with his arms folded against his chest, "Ya 'avin' trouble there, boy?" he asked.

Jack sneered at him before snapping, "If you think you're so clever, why don't you help me out instead of standin' there aimlessly doin' nothin'!"

Barbossa smirked and said while walking over to him, "It would be my pleasure." After a few moments on working the developing fireworks Barbossa spoke up, "Got a name, boy?"

Jack turned and looked into the older boy's eyes before holding out a hand and saying with a grin, "Jack, Jack Sparrow."  
Hector shook his hand, "Nice ta meet ya, Jackie."

Jack twitched, "Call me that again, an' I'll make ya a bloody eunuch."


	6. Burns, Visits, and a Birthday

This has to be my longest chapter to date.

* * *

Jack carefully set up one last firework in a clearing near a river near his home; the sound of the river would drown out the worst of the noise. He wanted one last test run before making the rest for Beck's birthday next week. He had figured how to add color to the flour and gunpowder mix to have a better effect, he was about to light it when he heard a voice calling out. 

"Hey Jack…you actually got tha' idea of yours to work?" Bill's voice asked.

"I 'elped 'im ya know," Hector's voice cut across.

Jack looked up and sat Bill and Hector walking towards him, "Hey guys, this is the last one before I make the rest fer Beck's birthday."

"You haven' been killed makin' those yet?" Bill said as Jack lit the fuse; both Bill and Hector stepped back a bit and covering their ears.

Jack glared at Bill but the glare melted away into panic as he heard his mother's voice coming from some distance behind him, "Jack, it's time for lunch!"

Jack turned partially away from the firework, his left arm still stretched out from lighting the fuse and he didn't notice how short it was. The firework went off, burning the side of his left arm and singing off some of his hair. He jumped back in surprise and paused a moment before realizing the damage done to his arm and started yelling in pain. Bill rushed over to his friend while Hector stood to the side.

At the same time Bill reached Jack, Neela burst through the brush and almost instantly saw Jack on the ground, clutching his arm to his chest. She tried to pry Jack's arm away, to look at what had happened, "Jack, let me see!"  
Jack heard the stern tone in his mother's voice and relented, letting her see the burn that covered the inside of his forearm. He winced as she gave him a harsh look.

Neela opened her mouth to ask how he got burned when the firework exploded above their heads in a burst of color. She looked up before looking back down at Jack, "Did that have anything to do with you getting burned?"

Jack laughed nervously and scratched his head slightly when he felt that some of his hair and most of his left eyebrow had singed off. _"That would explain why Hector is tryin' not to laugh."_

"You are not allowed to leave the house, except for school, for five days," Neela said firmly, pulling Jack to his feet. She glanced over at Bill and Hector before adding, "No visitors either." She then dragged Jack home.

"Wot an idiot," Hector said before Bill elbowed him in the leg, since Hector was about a foot taller than he was.

* * *

"Jack, what is in th' world were ya doin'?!" Neela yelled, as she applied some salve to Jack's burn before wrapping it in a bandage. 

"I was tryin' to make somethin' for Beck's birthday…" Jack, who was sitting on the table, responded before digging into his ear, "…is it a bad thin' if all I'm hearing out of my left ear is an odd ringing?"

Neela turned Jack's head sideways and glanced in his ear, "I think you've made yourself temporally deaf…and where in the world did you learn to make those things?!"

"…out of a book," Jack said quietly.

Neela rolled her eyes and glanced towards the door when she heard someone knocking, "Go get cleaned up, you're covered in…what ever you were working with."

"Yes mum," Jack said as he hopped of the table.

Neela opened the door a crack before slamming it closed. She took a deep breath before opening the door, "Teague get in your thick head, leave us alone!"

Teague smiled sheepishly before holding up a satchel, "Brought th' two of ya gifts!"

"First Jack gets burned, and now you show up…I don't need anymore distractions or stress at the moment!" Neela yelled.

A look of concerned crossed Teague's face, "How'd Jack git burned?"

"He was tryin' to make something for a friend of his. Beck, Jack calls him…apparently it was supposed to be a birthday present," Neela explained, "Why do you care?"

"He's ma son, isn't 'e?" Teague said, as if it explained everything. Neela paused a moment before opening the door a bit wider and letting Teague inside.

* * *

"You still mad that you can't have visitors?" Bill asked as he walked up to Jack, who was sitting under a tree in the schoolyard. It had only been a few days after the firework burn incident. 

"No…my degenerate of a father has shown up again," Jack scowled before adding, "don't stand on my left side, I'm having trouble hearing out of that ear…remember?"

"Sorry," Bill said as he moved to Jack's right side, "Your dad finally showed up? Shouldn't that be a good thing though?"

Jack growled softly, "No, because of what he is?"

"What who is?" Cutler asked, walking up to the two of them, "Who are you two talking about?"

"Jack's dad," Bill answered before Jack could stop him.

"Who is he?" Cutler asked.

Jack looked down at the ground before looking up at his friends, "The two of you promise not to tell anyone?"

Bill nodded; Cutler did too before asking, "Why are you being so secretive?"

"My dad…is a pirate…a Pirate Lord, as contradictory as that sounds," Jack admitted, "But listen and listen good, mates, I never intend to be a pirate…remember that."

"I'll keep yer promise Jack," Bill smiled.

"Same here," Cutler said, "Now if you'll answer another one of my questions, why is your arm bandaged and why are you missing part of your hair and your left eyebrow?" Bill and Jack hastily put together an explanation where Jack had been burned while attempting to learn some cooking from his mother, Cutler pretended to believe them only because the way they tripped over each others' words was hysterical.

* * *

"Bill, you're going to pull my arm off if you keep dragging me!" Cutler said as Bill dragged him through the woods near his house. 

"Yeah, but Jack wants to give you his present!" Bill explained, finally letting go of Cutler's arm and the two of them started walking side by side.

"Why couldn't he give it to me at the party?" Cutler asked.

"Because, my gift can't exactly come in a box!" Jack yelled as the two of them entered a clearing where he had set up several rows of his fireworks, he quickly lit one and motioned for the other two to cover their ears as he did as the firework shot up into the sky and exploded in a shower of color, "Happy Birthday, Cutler Beckett!"

Cutler watched the colors fade away when he realized that Jack hadn't called him by his nickname, "It's one of the best gifts I've ever gotten, thanks."

Jack smiled before he handed a candle to Bill and Cutler, "Don't forget to cover your ears and stand a bit away from the fireworks…or you'll end up like me."

"That's the real story of how he's missing an eyebrow and is bandaged," Bill laughed before Jack hit him. Cutler smiled to himself before the three of them started lighting more fireworks; watching them fly up and exploding into a multitude of colors before fading. Jack brought out one last firework, bigger than the others, when the smaller ones were all gone. Cutler noticed that it had three fuses connected to it and asked Jack.

"Let's make this a 'Wish Firework'. There's a fuse for each of us, we say what our hopes or wishes for the future are and when everyone has done so and we light it!"

"Sound like a great idea Jack…you first," Bill spoke.

Jack smiled before turning towards the firework, "I wish to be an honest and good person, a sailor maybe, and to never to follow in the footsteps of my…pirate father."

Bill stood next to Jack and spoke next, "I promise never to be a pirate too and one day be a Navy man or a merchant sailor…and honest one!"

Cutler thought a moment before finally speaking, "Like the two of you, I vow to never be a pirate, I will be a good person and I hope that all three of us will remain good friends and allies until the very end!" The three of them shared a smile before lighting their respective fuses and running off into the forest, watching from a safe distance away as the firework went up and exploded into several different colors.


	7. Get Your Head in the Game

Thanks to The-Wonka-Empire for being my beta and helping me when my brain died.

* * *

"You're sure Jack asked to meet us here?" Cutler asked Bill. The two of them were waiting in the same clearing that Jack had set up fireworks for his birthday almost two weeks earlier.

"Yeah, he said to meet at the place where we set off th' fireworks…or maybe he was talkin' about where he made them?" Bill thought.

Cutler groaned and smacked his forehead, "You didn't think to ask?"

"…obviously not."

"Are th' two of you fightin' again? You act like you're married!" Jack said as he walked up to them.

"That idea in itself does not sound right," Cutler groused, "Why did you want us to meet here?"

"A friendly lil game of football, I already got th' ball," Jack said, holding up a shrunken head.

"Where in the blazin' hell did ya get that?!" Bill yelled, taking several steps backwards.

"My mum," Jack simply answered as if suggesting playing a game with a shrunken head was something he did everyday.

Cutler looked at Jack as if he had grown another head himself and sneered in disgust at the thing in his hand, "You sir, are vile, complete and utter vile, foul even!" He was using words that Bill didn't understand so he sighed before translating, "To put it simply, you are absolutely insane if you think we are going to play with a head of a punished man!"

Jack peered down at the head which he held in his hands before holding it out in front of him, saying proudly, "You said vile twice ya know…and this 'ere, is my great, great, great, great, great several times over granddad, from my mum side of course…I don't know what he did actually to end up like this, but all I know is he's a relation of mine. I've tested 'im out and he goes pretty far when I kicked, now let's play!"

The others blinked in surprise before Bill asked, "Yer mum is really okay with tha'?"

Jack shrugged, "Not sure, all I tol' her was I just needed him for a school thin' and she handed it to me without any fuss."

Cutler frowned and looked at the thing, unconvinced, "What are the real intentions to this 'game' Jack?"

"Nothin' it's just a game, we just play!" Jack said, as if Cutler was stupid.

"…so, how exactly are we gonna play?" Bill asked.

"You against me against Beck," Jack answered as he dropped the head on the ground, "Take a few minutes to figure out where ya want your goal to be."

* * *

Jack laughed as he kicked the head into Bill's goal, "What's the score now"

"You're winning with four goals, I have two…Bill has zero," Cutler informed as he took possession of the head.

"You're horrible at this, Bill!" Jack teased before stealing the head away from Cutler. Bill frowned a moment before a mischievous smile crossed his face. He quickly bent down, grabbed some dirt, and flung it in Jack's face, "Oy! That's cheating!"

"I call it 'evening the odds'!" Bill said as he stole the head from Jack and kicked it into his goal.

"It's still cheating!" Jack said, clearing his eyes.

"I 'pected you to cheat first, Jackie," a voice said, causing Jack to freeze.

Jack finally wiped all the dirt away and saw Teague standing at the edge of the clearing, he immediately felt his anger rise, "Why don't you get it in your thick head, I don't want you near me!"

"Jack, am I correct in assuming this man is your father?" Cutler asked, eyeing Teague warily.

"Unfortunately, you're right Beck," Jack replied.

"I thought I was right…and don't call me Beck!"

"Childish fightin', cute," Teague laughed. Jack frowned before carefully signaling for Bill to pass him the head. He smirked as he kicked the head towards Teague, catching him partially off guard. Teague caught the head after it smacked him in the face and instantly dropped it when he saw what it was, "Where the bloody 'ell you git that thin'?!"

"His mum," Bill answered before Teague ran off into the woods, "Who've thunk tha' a grown man would be scared of a head?"

Cutler smirked, "I can see why you dislike him, Jack."

"Sayin' 'I dislike him' is puttin' it very, very mildly, Beck," Jack sighed.

"STOP CALLING ME BECK!"


	8. Failures at Explaining and Rain

"Jack, th' reason I wasn't around much was 'cause…aw bugger!" Teague slumped into a chair in his cabin, after pacing it while attempting to plan out a way to explain to Jack why he hadn't been around. He sighed as he picked up a rum bottle and brought it to his lips; he paused slightly before removing the bottle and holding it upside down over the table, it was empty, "Why is ma bloody rum gone?" He put the bottle down and staggered outside, for a bit of air, "Alrigh' Teague...let's be tryin' this again…Jack, I had good reasons fer not stayin': One, I rather be wantin' ta keep livin'…savvy? Two, th' sea is in ma blood, it calls ta me like nothin' else in th' world…'cept rum…and gold…and wenches…bugger! …I need ma rum!"

* * *

"Hey Bill, have you seen Beck around lately?" Jack asked while the two were in the schoolyard.

"Nah, haven't seen him since th' other day," Bill answered, "Think somethin' bad happened?"

"Let's visit his place when school's out," Jack offered, "Ask Beck himself or someone there."

Bill and Jack felt their jaws drop at the fact Cutler's house was easily several times bigger than theirs. "Jack…what does Beck's dad do?"

"I think he's in the tradin' business or somethin'…I knew he was rich but not _this_ rich!" The two of them carefully got inside and stood in front of the door, "What are you waitin' for? Knock!"

"Why do I gotta knock?" Bill argued.

"I'm the one that got us this far, so you knock!"

The two argued back and forth about who was going to knock on the door, when it opened and the person who did so spoke, "May I help you?"

Bill looked up at the servant before nudging Jack, who quickly spoke up, "We're here to see Cutler…we're friends of his."

The man paused a moment, taking the appearances of Jack and Bill as well as the honest look in their eyes before allowing them inside.

"Who are they?" a voice asked. Jack and Bill looked up and saw a man who bored a strong resemblance to Cutler, obviously his father.

"They say they are friends of young Cutler, Lord Beckett," the servant answered.

Lord Beckett looked over Jack and Bill with a critical eye, "What do you wish to do with my son?"

"…we were wondering where he's been, haven't seen him around at all…Mr. Lord Beckett…sir," Jack meekly answered.

"That was pathetic," Bill whispered.

"Let's see you do any better!" Jack snapped.

Lord Beckett watched amusedly as Jack and Bill bickered for a few minutes before speaking, "Cutler's mother has taken ill, recently. He, as well as myself, are quite concerned on her health."

"Oh…hope she gets better," Bill offered.

Lord Beckett was about to respond when a maid approached him and spoke to him urgently. He quickly went into another room and, shortly after, Cutler was dragged out of the same room fighting to get back inside.

"Let me go, that's an order! I want to see my mother!" Cutler yelled, still flailing.

"Beck, what's the matter with you?" Bill asked.

Cutler looked up and noticed Jack and Bill. His next comment died when he realized that he had just seen him have a bit of a meltdown. He then turned and ran out of the house as it started raining.

"Bill, if Beck's dad asks where he is; just say I took him to my house to cool him down," Jack said before running after Cutler.

"Why do I hafta do that?!" Bill yelled after Jack.

* * *

Jack wiped his wet hair out of his eyes as he ran in the general direction Cutler did, he paused for a moment in his searching as he heard something other than the falling rain or the creaking trees. He followed the noise and eventually found Cutler, sitting under a tree, wiping his face. "Beck?"

Cutler looked up; his face smeared with mud along with what was either rain or tears, "What do you want?"

Jack said nothing as he sat down next to Cutler and silently patted him on back. Cutler remained quiet for a minute before he leaned against Jack and silently start to cry. After a while, Jack started loosing feeling in his legs and noted that Cutler had dozed off. He carefully maneuvered Cutler so he was on his back and started walking back home. He kicked on the door to his house and waited for it to open.

"Jack, where in the world have-" Neela started out before noticed that Jack was carrying Cutler, "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, he didn't exactly tell me," Jack said, walking inside and out of the rain.

Cutler woke up sometime later, lying on an unfamiliar bed and wrapped up in blankets.

"I was wondering if you'd wake up at all, Beck."

Cutler turned his head slightly and saw Jack sitting in a chair, wrapped up in a blanket also, and holding a wooden bowl in his hands, "Where am I?"

"My house," Jack answered before offering him the bowl, "Have some soup, it'll warm you up."

Cutler took the bowl and slowly had a spoonful, "…it's not bad…"

Jack grinned, "It's only water and some leftover food mum had lying around with a bit of spice added to it, definitely not what you're used to, right?"

Cutler nodded his head as he finished his bowl, "Is there anymore?"

"I think so," Jack said before getting of his chair, "You can wear some of my old clothes, I outgrew them a while back."

"Are you implying that I'd be able to wear your old clothes?" Cutler groused.

"Yes, you're the oldest out of the three of us…and yet, somehow you're the smallest. Also, I only outgrew them about a year ago," Jack said before quickly ducking as Cutler chucked the bowl at his head. Cutler became a frequent visitor and stayer at Jack's home, especially the week after his mother succumbed to her illness and passed. During that week, Cutler barely said a word, moving silently and stiffly until Jack teased him to the point where he punched Jack hard enough to give him a black eye. Jack's only response was to give a wry grin and say, "About time you came to your senses."


	9. Gifts That Require Training

I sincerely thank everyone who has read and reviewed this. Roughly two or three more chapters left in the story.

* * *

Jack was busy trying to get something out of his boot when he heard two voices clearing their throats, practically scaring him out of his skin before he turned around to find Bill and Cutler standing behind him. He smiled, "Well, wot a surprise. What are you guys up to?" Bill and Cutler smiled virtually identical grins before Cutler handed Jack a small wrapped package. Jack raised an eyebrow as he turned it over in his hands, "What is it?" 

"Open it, it's a gift," Cutler urged him.

Jack hesitantly pulled of the paper to reveal a beautiful hand-crafted dagger with a wooden handle. He then noticed, engraved on the handle, the image of a sparrow flying across a sun setting on the horizon. Jack smiled, "Wow, thanks...but, why exactly did you give me this?"

"Every man needs a weapon to protect himself," Cutler said before shyly adding, "...and it's a thank you present…for what you and your mum have done for me during the hardest time of my life…and because Bill told me it was your birthday."

Jack grinned, "You're my friend, Beck, I was glad to help you…and truthfully, I don't know when my birthday exactly is."

"How could ya not know yer bloody birthday?!" Bill asked overdramatically.

"Apparently it's hard ta keep track of time on a ship…that's what my mum said," Jack explained.

"You were born on a ship?" Cutler asked.

"During a typhoon ta be exact," Jack noticed the disbelieving looks on their faces, "…wot?"

"I'm just wondering if that story is true," Cutler said.

"My mum told me an' she's th' one tha' gave birth ta me…so it's got to be true!" Jack said determinedly, "By the way, is there any other reason Bill came along besides seein' the look on yer face when I tell ya it's not exactly ma birthday?"

"Bill helped a little with the dagger, emphasis on little," Cutler explained throwing a look a Bill.

"Oy, helped more than a little! I was the one tha' thought of puttin' tha' sparrow on th' handle, I also drew th' basic picture fer it," Bill beamed.

Jack smiled "Well, I should keep this in a special place, but where is the problem. My mum would have my throat stuffed before I can explain where I got this from."

Bill laughed before handing Jack a roll of striped cloth, "I thought I should give ya somethin' to…my mum had some extra lying around that she let me have ta give to ya."

Jack stared at the cloth a moment before unraveling it and tying it around his waist like a belt, "Thanks a lot mates." Bill gave a toothy grin and Cutler gave a small one as well.

"I almost fergot! Here ya go, mate," Jack said taking something out of his pocket and handing it to Bill, "It's not as fancy as wot th' two of ya gave me, but I bought it with me own money."

Bill quickly unwrapped the small bundle to uncover a small dagger with a black blade, "Wicked, thanks Jack!"

Jack gave a slight smirk before he noticed someone, "Hector? Wot are you doin' here, I thought you were on a ship?"

"I jus' got back…wot with th' knife?"

"It's a gift," Bill responded.

"Do ya know how ta use it?" Hector asked.

"Sure; pointy end goes in th' other person," Jack smacked Bill in the back of the head, "Wot did I do?"

"An idiot with a weapon is more dangerous than an expert," Cutler sighed.

"You need ta be taught how ta use that or else you're gonna end up hurtin' yerself," Hector explained.

"Are you gonna be teachin' us?" Jack asked sarcastically.

"Well of course I am! Who else do ya think is gonna train ya, yer parents? They'll be hangin' ya before yer could say why ya got the bloody knives!" Hector said, crossing his arms across his arms; acting superior against the three younger lads, "Now...who's gonna be me first student?"

The three boys looked at each other nervously and they all had the same thought in their heads, _"What the hell have we gotten into?"_


	10. Scars

I sincerely apologize to everyone who has waited for this chapter. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Alrigh', you two go over there an' wait behind some trees 'til I'm done wit him," Hector said, pointing to Jack and Cutler before pointing to Bill, "Don't want any of ya ta have a leg up if ya see how I fight." 

"Sounds reasonable," Cutler said as he walked off.

"Good luck Bill!" Jack said following.

"Some friends th' two of you are!" Bill yelled after them.

* * *

As Jack walked back into the clearing, after hearing Hector call him over, he noted Bill and Cutler both lying on the ground, both exhausted and with several cuts on their hands, "You didn't go easy on them, did ya?" 

"Th' outside world won't go easy on ya jus' because yer a kid, remember that," Hector said, lazily waving his own dagger, "Now stop standin' there an' fight!" Jack did the best he did and lasted little over five minutes before Hector was able to disarm him. "Not bad Jack, ya lasted longer than th' other two."

"I did?" Jack responded, idly nursing his cuts, "How long did Bill an' Beck last?"

"About half or less than you did; yer a natural," Hector complimented as he put away his own weapon and handed Jack back his.

"How long have you held a weapon, Hector?" Cutler asked.

Hector thought a moment before commenting, "I'm 'bout eighteen or nineteen now…about five or six years now I'm guessin'."

"You started when you were thirteen?!" Bill exclaimed.

"I guess, never been tha' good wit numbers though," Hector responded offhandedly.

"…we are gonna die if we keep doin' this," Bill sighed.

* * *

Jack growled softly as Teague sat next to him, "Why can't you get it in your thick head, I don't want you anywhere near me!"

"Don' be like tha' Jackie," Teague said as he put his hand out to pat Jack on the head. In a flash, Jack had pulled out his dagger and, without thinking, impaled Teague's left hand to the tree, "What th' bloody hell?!" Jack immediately backed away as Teague attempted to pull the weapon and his hand from the tree; he eventually wrenched the blade out, but the momentum of the act caused him to swing his arm back and the blade caught Jack in the head. Jack fell to the ground, yelling and clutching his forehead with his hands, blood leaking through his fingers. Teague realized what he had done and reached out towards Jack, "Jackie, 'm sorry. It was an-"

"Don't touch me! Stay away from me, you bloody pirate!" Jack screamed, getting up and running away from him.

"Jack, wait! It was an accident!" Teague yelled after Jack. He quickly wrapped up his hand and hesitated a moment before grabbing Jack's dagger and running after him. After losing sight of Jack in the forest, Teague decided to head back to their house to see if Jack had went there; he opened the door to Jack and Neela's home to find her treating the wound.

Neela turned around and glared at Teague, when she realized who it was, before picking up a pistol that was on the floor and leveled it his head, "Leave Teague, I'll have you nowhere near Jack again for doin' this."

"It was an accident! I tried ta say tha' ta Jack, but 'e ran off 'fore I could!" Teague tried to explain.

Neela cocked the hammer back on the pistol, "Get the hell out, now, I'm not goin' ta warn you again."

Teague glanced at the fierce hatred held in Neela's eyes to the fear mixed with anger and hate in Jack's before cautiously setting Jack's dagger on a surface next to him before slowly turning around and exiting, closing the door behind him.

Jack stared at the door while his mother finished dressing the wound on his head and noticed silent tears running down her face, "Mum?"

Neela wiped her tears away, "I'm sorry Jack, for this happening."

Jack self-consciously rubbed the edge of his bandage before wiping a stray tear from his mother's face, "S'okay mum. You didn' know any of this would happen."

Neela smiled weakly before gesturing at the bandage, "That will most likely leave a scar, though."

"…could I put somethin' over it, mebbe?" Jack said, adjusting the wrappings slightly. Neela gave a smile as she left the room and returned with something in her hand.

* * *

"…Jack, wot in th' world is that?" Bill asked pointing to what was wrapped around Jack's head.

"It's supposed ta be a bandana, it's a bit too long though," Jack explained, adjusting the red cloth wrapped around his head and covering his scar.

"Where did yer get it from?" Bill asked.

Jack shrugged, "I asked my mum to give me somethin' to cover my scar and she gave me this to cover it. She even suggested makin' it into a bandana," he explained.

"Oh... I've seen most of the sailors wear bandanas on their heads while sailing," Cutler recalled, "I was never sure if it was helpful or to cover something…and what scar are you talking about?"

Jack paused a moment, "…I'd rather not say."

"Tha' kinda makes ya look like a pirate, though," Bill pondered, making Jack cringe at the thought.

"Call me a pirate again, Bill, an' I'll give ya a black eye," Jack threatened.

"Obviously you're still keeping your word to never become a pirate, Jack?" Cutler said, quickly dispelling any thoughts of a fight.

"O' course 'm not gonna be a bloody pirate!" Jack snapped, "I'd have ta be shot first before going down that path."

"Okay, point taken," Cutler remarked with a slight smirk.

"I have ta take care of something, see ya around," Jack said before running off. Sometime later, he found himself in a hidden cove and tried to calm his heart, which was pounding at the thought of what he was about to do. He moved from his hiding place and stood in plain view of his father and his pirate crew. Everyone fell silent when they noticed Jack and turned to Teague, wondering what he would do. 'It's now or never,' Jack thought as he stood his ground and got ready to say the words he'd been itching to say since Teague had first arrived.


	11. Epilogues

**Neela Sparrow**

Neela gave a small smile as she handed 'Bootstrap' Bill Turner, who became a Navy man several years ago, a package and a letter, "When Jack arrives an' asks for where I am, give him those. Understand?"

"Yes…but why won't you be waiting for Jack?" Bootstrap asked, placing the two items aside.

"I'm goin' on a trip soon, William, an' the ship sets sail before Jack comes back," Neela explained before leaving. Her thoughts drifted to Jack as she returned to their home and cleaned up one last time before taking a seat in a chair. After waiting a short while, a soft smile crossed her face as she heard the door knock and told the person on the other side to come in.

**Jameson Grant Teague**

Teague cautiously knocked on the door in front of him and opened the door when a voice inside beckoned him in. He noticed a woman sitting at a table in the middle of the room and paused a moment before speaking, "Hullo Neela…been a long time."

Neela nodded her head, "Nearly ten years…I still remember the last time I saw you, mainly what you an' Jack did to each other."

Teague rubbed the scar on his left hand, "Why'd you send tha' letter, askin' me ta come here?"

Neela sighed, "I feel that time for me is almost up, that my death is coming soon…I want to sail on the seas one last time and to atone for any wrongs in my past. The biggest one was to you."

"Mebbe it was punishment for something've done in me past?" Teague joked.

Neela smiled, "Are you goin' to allow me on your ship or not, Teague?"

Teague smiled and gave an over extravagant bow, "Your sea chariot awaits, madam."

Neela gave a small laugh as she stood and grabbed a small bag next to her and walked out of her house, for the last time.

**William Turner**

Bootstrap looked at the items Neela had left with him, a letter and a wrapped package, and said to himself, "Wonder how Jack's goin' to take this?"

"How am I goin' ta take wot?" A voice asked.

Bootstrap looked up and saw Jack standing in the doorway, his clothes looking more weatherworn and the bandana around his head, once a vibrant crimson, had begun to fade slightly. Jack grinned, showing off some of his golden teeth that he claimed to have gotten after being smacked in the mouth by a magical medallion, "Jack, did you just get back?"

"Yep, you know where ma mum is? She ain't at th' house," A worried look crossed his face.

Bootstrap handed Jack the letter from his mother, "She left tha' with me, this package too."

_Jack,_

_I'm sorry to have left like this, but there is little time for me in the world. You know what it is like to be at sea, to breathe in the salt-air and the wind at your back. I have most likely left with Teague, to make amends to him, so I can re-experience these joys again. Take care of yourself Jack and remember the most important thing I've ever taught you: Everyone deserves to have their freedom, to live their life and do what they please, irregardless of what family or class they were born into, how much money they have, whether they are a man, woman, or child, or what the color of their skin is. Always remember that Jack. May there always be a strong wind to guide you._

_Your mother,_

_Neela Sparrow_

Jack carefully folded the letter and put it in his jacket pocket before picking up the package and quickly opening it. He let out a small laugh when he saw it was a tricorn hat, with one edge rolled up like a scroll. There was a note that simply read: _Every good Captain needs a hat on his head to keep him cool and warm._ Jack tucked the note into the same pocket as the letter before putting the hat on, smiling at the fact it was a perfect fit.

"Are ya stayin' a while?" Bill asked.

"Not 'til after me next trip; Beck wants me to pick up some more cargo before I can take a break," Jack said, adjusting his hat slightly, "But when I get back, th' three o' us are gonna git together an' have some fun, like when we were little."

Bill smiled, "Great idea Jack, see you when you get back." Jack tilted his hat slightly before swaggering out the door.

**Cutler Beckett**

Sir Cutler Beckett looked up as he saw Jack swagger into the room, constantly adjusting his hat, "You're late."

"Sorry, Beck, I was looking fer my mum…found out she left," Jack explained, adjusting his hat one last time before leaving it alone, "What was th' job ya wanted me ta do?"

"I need you to go to Africa, there's some very special cargo that needs to be transported," Cutler said before adding, "and how many times must I tell you to stop calling me that?"

Jack shrugged, "Can't be 'elped, thin' of habit. When should I set sail?"

"Soon, either tonight or tomorrow," Cutler said before dismissing Jack.

"Fair enough," Jack said as he started out the door before stopping and turning around, "When I get back, th' three of us will have a couple of drinks; wot you say ta tha' Beck?"

Cutler narrowed his eyes, "Stop calling me that."

"I'll take tha' as a 'yes'." Jack smirked before ducking out.

Cutler noticed the glare his aide, Anton Mercer, sent Jack before he spoke, "Why do you allow a man like that even to work for you, sir?"

"I'm a man of my word. I promised Jack a job and allow him to keep said job as long as he does his job right…also, he is a natural sailor and captain as well as a trustworthy person," Cutler said, looking through several papers.

**Jack Caden Sparrow**

Jack took one more look at the letter his mother wrote to him as he walked slowly across his ship. A tear started to fall from his eye before he quickly wiped it away, since it wouldn't be right for a grown man to cry. He got to the part where his mother said she was going to make amends with Teague and thought that if she could face her past and settle things with Teague; maybe he could do the same? He didn't linger to long on those thoughts before he remembered he was on his way to pick up some special cargo for Cutler. He looked over his shoulder at the ship that Cutler had allowed him to have and smirked at the name carved on the back: 'The Wicked Wrench'. He recalled that he was very drunk at the time he named her but figured that he might as well keep it since it was already carved in. The humor at the memory faded quickly when he stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth dropping in shock. He nearly dropped his letter, but he was thankfully quick enough to take a hold of it and put it back in pocket for safekeeping. He felt himself grow cold but his blood boiled hot in anger at what the 'cargo' was supposed to be: slaves. His heart clenched as he saw that some had been beaten and that some were just children. His mother's words in the letter came to mind, about everyone deserving freedom and had to make a major decision right there on what he would do but his mind and heart were divided; would he keep to his job and transport them as Cutler had said or would he refuse to do so or would he do something else entirely? 'Bloody hell, I need rum…'


End file.
